Drug Combo Tames HER2+ Breast Cancer - SABCS2010

Jackie07 · 12-12-2010, 12:49 PM

http://curetoday.com/index.cfm/fusea...rticle_id/1600

Drug Combo Tames HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

BY MELISSA WEBER

Treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer turned a corner more than a decade ago with the approval of Herceptin (trastuzumab). More recently, another successful drug called Tykerb (lapatinib) hit the market. The question then became whether Herceptin, Tykerb or a combination of the two would be most effective in stifling the aggressive disease. Two studies presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium offer some clues.

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KirisMum · 12-12-2010, 03:23 PM

This is so interesting, Jackie. Thanks very much for the link. However, the content makes me very nervous and worried. Kiri is in an identical clinical trial as the one described in your first link, and she is in the tykerb-only arm, which seems to have performed worst. :-( There is no way she can be re-randomized, so I just have to cross my fingers.

Becky · 12-12-2010, 03:36 PM

Or you can talk to her onc and insist on the combo thereby dropping out of the trial - poo on that if she can get the combo.

KirisMum · 12-12-2010, 03:42 PM

Tykerb isn't approved for preadjuvant therapy, Becky, so she wouldn't be able to get the combo if she dropped out of the trial. The most I think she would be able to switch to would be Herceptin alone, and since the difference there is slight, and she's tolerating the tykerb, I can't see the advantage there. I guess this is the chance you take when you sign up for a clinical trial. I just have to trust they will explain everything and do the best for her they can at Dana-Farber. :-(

Jackie07 · 12-12-2010, 05:33 PM

Perhaps she can use the information here to ask for Herceptin when she finishes Tykerb. We've had members who started Herceptin back in the late 90's, way before it was approved by the FDA. I do not know how they get to be treated 'off-label', but several of them did.

Jackie07 · 12-12-2010, 05:37 PM

Don't forget to read Lani's posting on the subject:

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=47963

KirisMum · 12-12-2010, 05:41 PM

She's on track to get Herceptin after her surgery, Jackie, so ultimately she WILL benefit from both Herceptin and Lapatinib. There is so much we don't know. I need to remind myself to trust her excellent team and her own ability to make the best judgments about her treatment. HARD for a mom. LOL.

Thanks for the link to Lani's post--off to check it now.

DeenaH · 12-15-2010, 12:52 PM

Kirismum - I'm not sure what insurance Kiri has, but the rules about Tykerb aren't hard and fast. It is technically not approved for less than stage IV either, but my doctor got it approved for me in less than 24 hours. I am post chemo, post surgery, NED and will be post radiation by the time I would fill the prescription. I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC, but my doctor pled my case with my insurance that I needed Tykerb with Herceptin for medical reasons. It worked. It certainly is worth a try to see if her doctors can push it through for doing the combo. If it is approved, she can then drop out of the trial. I've heard nothing but good things about the combo lately. I have decided not to add Tykerb at this time (on the advice of Dr. Dennis Slamon who I saw last month) since I am NED. If I have a recurrnance, that is the combo I will be going to for sure though!

Good luck to you and your daughter. It is so hard to decide the best thing to do with treatment. I can only imagine how hard this would be if it were my daughter instead of myself. I just thought I'd share my experience with going around the rules and getting approval for Tykerb with Herceptin.